Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Glory of Devotion

 

In Gita 12:2, when Arjuna inquired of Lord Krishna, that of those

devotees who, ever steadfast, worship You (in form, Saguna), and

those who worship the Imperishable, the Unmanifested (formless,

Nirguna), of these two, which one is considered the most perfect in

Yoga? To this God replied -

 

" In my opinion, those devotees, endowed with supreme faith and ever

steadfast, worship Me (with form and attributes), with mind centered

on Me, are the most perfect in Yoga. " (Gita 12:2)

 

Comments: Even though Knowledge and Devotion are both equally

capable of eradicating man's sorrows, yet the glory of Devotion is

greater than that of Knowledge. With Knowledge one can experience

constant, uninterrupted joy, but with Devotion one can attain

infinite and ever enhancing joy (which increases every moment). Just

like in this world when you first gain the knowledge of a particular

object e.g. " This is money " , simply with this knowledge, ignorance of

money will be erased. Similarly, with knowledge of real nature of

things (Tatvajnana), ignorance (lack of knowing) of the nature of

that particular thing is wiped out. When ignorance is removed,

sorrow, fear, and the cycle of birth and death – all end.

 

Joy derived from knowledge, is savored by the " Self " (swayam).

Devotion is even more extraordinary. In Devotion there is

exceptional joy. The pleasure and joy experienced from devotion and

love, is savored by God Himself. God is not hungry for knowledge,

but He is hungry for love. Therefore love is more extraordinary than

even salvation, or knowledge of true nature of things (tattvajnana),

or experiential knowledge of Self (atmashaakshaatkar) or singleness

of state (kaiwalya).

 

In knowledge (Jnana yog), a spiritual aspirant by attaching

importance to the discrimination between the real (imperishable, IS)

and the unreal (perishable, Is-Not), renounces the unreal

(perishable). Due to the discrimination between the Real (Is) and

Unreal (is-not), in the path of knowledge, the subtle impressions of

the unreal (the subtle Ego) persist for a long time. This subtle Ego

remains even after salvation. And due to the remaining of this

subtle Ego, even though one is freed from future births, one cannot

experience the Oneness with God. Also mutual philosophical

differences are perceived (because of impression of one's opinion)

and these differences remain for a long time.

 

In the path of selfless service (karma yog), an aspirant renders

service to others with all that he possesses. Things that are not

of value or importance are renounced easily, but those things that

are valuable and important to the aspirant are not easily renounced.

But when these same things are used for rendering service to others,

the unreal (perishable) is easily and quickly renounced.

 

In Devotion (bhakti yog) the devotee regards the world as belonging

to God or God's manifestation, and thus the world (unreal,

perishable) is wiped out in his eyes and God remains. Therefore

through selfless service (karma yog), the unreal is more quickly

renounced, than in the path of knowledge (jnana yog), and in path of

devotion (bhakti yog) the unreal (perishable) does not remain at

all - " sadasaccaaham " (Gita 9:19). Therefore Selfless service (karma

yog) is superior to Knowledge of Self (jnana yog) and Devotion

(bhakti yog)is superior to Selfless Service (karma yog).

 

Thus with the blossoming of love of God, one loses one's identity

and becomes one with God. Hereafter, all philosophical and

ideological differences will end.